Numerous U.S. patents describe various biomedical devices which have or which employ on an operant surface thereof a hydrophilic gel sometimes referred to as a hydrogel. For example, recently issued U.S. Pat. No. 4,570,637 in the name of Jevne et al describes a particularly advantageous hydrogel composition for use on biomedical devices. Other hydrogel references of interest include U.S. Pat. No. 3,929,741 (Laskey), U.S. Pat. No. 3,998,214 (Anderson et al), U.S. Pat. No. 4,067,342 (Burton) and the series of patents in the name of Keith et al exemplary of which is U.S. Pat. No. 4,460,562. Such "solid" or "dry" hydrogels have been used on electrodes of various varieties, including iontophoresis electrodes, electocautery ground electrodes and various other medical devices which are intended to be adhered to a patient's skin.
The present invention relates to a method of making certain biomedical devices which employ hydrogels of a particular variety, viz. thermoplastic (as opposed to thermosetting) hydrogels. None of the above references disclose nor suggest the present novel method or process.